Iran Tells U.s. To Clarify Stance

Navy Returns Sailors

Weinberger Continues Gulf Trip

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — Hours after the U.S. Navy scuttled the Iranian ship Iran Ajr on Saturday, a senior Iranian official demanded that Washington clarify if it is at war with his country.

Kambl Kharrazi, head of Iran`s war information ministry, described the sinking of the vessel ``an act of provocation`` and ``a sort of piracy.``

In a broadcast on Tehran Radio monitored in Dubai, Kharrazi asked, ``What the Americans should make clear now is whether they have formally declared war on the Islamic Republic of Iran with this act.``

Meanwhile, two Navy helicopters from the USS Raleigh flew the 26 survivors and 3 dead crewmen from the Iran Ajr to Seeb airport, an airstrip wedged between the Gulf of Oman and rugged hills 25 miles northwest of Muscat, Oman.

According to Omani sources, the crew and the corpses were handed over to Iranian officials who had flown onto the airstrip two hours earlier aboard an Iranian air force Boeing 737.

In Washington, the State Department denied reports circulating in Bahrain that some of the Iranians asked for political asylum.

``There were no requests for asylum,`` said State Department spokesman Dennis Harter. ``All of the detainees returned to Iran willingly.``

Asked if any U.S. official offered the possibility of asylum to any detainees, Harter said, ``We don`t know if any offer was made.``

The Iran Ajr-built by the United States and sold to the government of the Shah of Iran before he was deposed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini-was disabled by U.S. rockets off Kuwait Monday night after being caught planting mines in the gulf.

Iran denies the ship was mining the gulf.

Early Saturday morning, the crippled ship was towed into international waters and sunk by explosive charges.

According to the Pentagon, the ship was scuttled ``to exclude it from being used again for illegal purposes.``

Tehran Radio quoted Kharrazi saying that ``by their hasty act`` the United States ``obliterated evidence of their crime.``

He insisted the Iran Ajr was registered with Lloyds of London as a cargo ship in the service of Iran since 1982.

``We reserve the right to claim compensation for damages and retaliation in view of its destruction by America,`` he added.

Meanwhile, Iraq kept up its aerial missions against Iranian economic targets and the small contract tankers shuttling oil from the Kharg Island terminal to the port of Bandar Abbas.

Shipping sources confirmed a tanker carrying ballast was ablaze off Kharg Island after being hit by Iraqi rockets.

Two tugs were on the way to assist the burning ship.

But shippers could not confirm Iraqi reports that two other tankers had been hit.

At the same time, shipping sources said an area off Fujira port on the Gulf of Oman was declared a ``no-go zone`` Saturday after mines were apparently sighted.

``Vessels have to take a circuitous route to get into Fujira while naval ships are apparently sweeping the sea for mines,`` one shipper said.

Amid the new incidents, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger continued his gulf tour to meet American servicemen and talk to U.S. allies.

Though Weinberger`s itinerary remains a secret for security reasons, he met Saudi Arabian leaders on Saturday and was expected Sunday in Bahrain, the main servicing point for U.S. forces in the gulf.